Saint Joseph Regional's move is 'going forward'

Hospital intends to leave South Bend when Edison Lakes site opens in 2009.

Hospital intends to leave South Bend when Edison Lakes site opens in 2009.

December 07, 2005|CAROL ELLIOTT Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center dropped a really big shoe in 2002 when it announced it was building a new hospital in Mishawaka. Since then, there has been scant news to suggest the project was going to become a reality and many rumors to suggest that it wouldn't. That changed this week when the other shoe dropped. Hospital executives told employees Tuesday, and are expected to officially announce today, that they've secured all the financing and permits necessary to proceed. In fact, site work is under way. "It's going forward," said Nancy R. Hellyer, chief executive officer. "I can officially stand up and say we will be opening a hospital at Edison Lakes in 2009." The announcement brings an end to will-they-won't-they speculation that began in 1999 when the hospital said it was looking at other locations. In April 2002, Saint Joseph Regional put out a strategic plan that included building a $200 million, 300- to 350-bed hospital in Edison Lakes, to be opened by the end of 2006. The land was fully paid for in 2002. "There was a change in administration. There were some financial issues," said Hellyer of the delay. Former Chief Executive Officer Robert Beyer resigned unexpectedly in January 2003. Hellyer replaced Beyer the following October. "When I came in, I was charged with the responsibility of reviewing the entire plan," she said. "At the end of that, we decided it was the right thing to do." Official groundbreaking is still about three months away, but the $355 million project promises to affect the entire region. It involves the move of one of South Bend's biggest employers to neighboring Mishawaka. It means changing from an urban landscape near downtown South Bend to one of the area's most vital retail and office space corridors. It means controversy, as services shift, medical offices move and buildings potentially come down. Saint Joseph Regional, established in 1882 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, was South Bend's first hospital. But for the health care provider, the move means a new direction in health care and a necessary change in order to fulfill its strategic plan. The plan involves locating more health services in neighborhoods, rather than draw people from neighborhoods to a central medical source. In the process, Hellyer said two aging hospitals that are about 55 percent utilized will be replaced with a state-of-the-art center centrally located to the region's population. At the same time, the health care provider is bringing more urgent- and primary-care centers to neighborhoods, so people may not actually need a hospital. "It's bringing a 21st century delivery system for health care, not just a focus on the facility," said Hellyer.Staff writer Carol Elliott: celliott@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6346 The announcement brings an end to will-they-won't-they speculation that began in 1999 when the hospital said it was looking at other locations. In April 2002, Saint Joseph Regional put out a strategic plan that included building a $200 million, 300- to 350-bed hospital in Edison Lakes, to be opened by the end of 2006. The land was fully paid for in 2002. "There was a change in administration. There were some financial issues," said Hellyer of the delay. Former Chief Executive Officer Robert Beyer resigned unexpectedly in January 2003. Hellyer replaced Beyer the following October. "When I came in, I was charged with the responsibility of reviewing the entire plan," she said. "At the end of that, we decided it was the right thing to do." Official groundbreaking is still about three months away, but the $355 million project promises to affect the entire region. It involves the move of one of South Bend's biggest employers to neighboring Mishawaka. It means changing from an urban landscape near downtown South Bend to one of the area's most vital retail and office space corridors. It means controversy, as services shift, medical offices move and buildings potentially come down. Saint Joseph Regional, established in 1882 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, was South Bend's first hospital. But for the health care provider, the move means a new direction in health care and a necessary change in order to fulfill its strategic plan. The plan involves locating more health services in neighborhoods, rather than draw people from neighborhoods to a central medical source. In the process, Hellyer said two aging hospitals that are about 55 percent utilized will be replaced with a state-of-the-art center centrally located to the region's population. At the same time, the health care provider is bringing more urgent- and primary-care centers to neighborhoods, so people may not actually need a hospital. "It's bringing a 21st century delivery system for health care, not just a focus on the facility," said Hellyer.Staff writer Carol Elliott: celliott@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6346